PACO NEWS
LEGAL INSIGHTS
Join us on Thursday, October 31, 2024 at noon via Zoom when Brady P. Grove, Esq. of Horenstein, Nicholson & Blumenthal, LPA will present a program about the essentials of VA Disability Benefits including the criteria and process for establishing a service connection, the VA's organizational structure, and its impact on claims processing. He'll also address issues like Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and the health implications of toxic exposures such as Agent Orange and burn pits. Registration is open on the web site.
GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
Please join us on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 at noon via Zoom when Angie Vohsing and Randi Daniels-Blair, your NFPA Primary and Secondary Representatives (respectively) and Lori Wagner, RP, IRP, the newly installed president of NFPA, will discuss the recent NFPA Convention and Annual Policy Meeting and provide updates about what is new and coming up with NFPA. Registration is open on the web site.
WORKERS' COMPENSATION ROUND TABLE
Please join us on Thursday, November 21, 2024 at noon via Zoom when Lacey Cain, Regional Manager at MinuteMen OhioComp will discuss return to work and transitional return to work programs. Registration is open on the web site.
OSBA PARALEGAL CERTIFICATION/RECERTIFICATION
The OSBA Certified Paralegal Certification exam will take place in May 2025, but now is the perfect time to start planning! Becoming an OSBA Certified Paralegal is a great way to kick start your career! Applications to sit for the exam will open on January 1, 2025. Applications are due March 31, 2025. We'll be sure to provide updates on the exam date when it is announced.
If you are currently an OSBA Certified Paralegal, then you know you need to go through the biennial reporting and recertification periodically. Applications for the recertification process are open now and are available through December 1, 2024.
For more information on the OSBA Paralegal Certification process, please go to https://www.ohiobar.org/cle-certification/certification/paralegal-certification/
COMMITTEE UPDATES
The PR Committee will meet again on Wednesday, October 30, 2024 at noon via Teams. The PR Committee plans events such as the upcoming holiday happy hour and our annual Paralegal Day celebration in May. Joining this committee is a great way to get involved and have a lot of fun! Email Randi Daniels-Blair at randi.daniels90@gmail.com if you'd like to join this committee!
LASCO PRO BONO OPPORTUNITY
On Thursday, November 21, 2024 from 5-7PM, LASCO will partner with the Federal Court for the Southern District of Ohio, the Supreme Court of Ohio, and the Ohio Justice Bus to offer a brief advise clinic at the Veterans Financial Wellness event. The event will take place at VFW Post 9857 located at 2330 Stelzer Road, Columbus, OH 43219. To sign up, please go to https://oslsa.wufoo.com/forms/m1agf3ir1lp8v2s/
LASCO CLE OPPORTUNITY
If you are interested in continuing to work with LASCO in either the Seniors Referral Project or any of their upcoming LASCO Wills Clinics, you will need to attend LASCO's CLE Planning for the Future: What LASCO Pro Bono Attorneys Should Know on Thursday, November 7, 2024 from 9AM-12PM. This CLE will be held virtually; there is no cost. For registration, please see: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0rcuqvrT4tG9y8VtI2PVRI1bmapQKV9C3W#/registration
NFPA NEWS
NFPA is offering several new CLEs over the next few weeks! The cost for each is only $25.
10/29/24 at 1PM EST - Victims of Crime & the American Justice System by Renee Williams. Despite major advances in the victim's rights movement and the passage of Victim's Bills of Rights in every states, victims are still often shuffled to the sideline by the justice process. This CLE will examine three of the justice systems in the US (family, civil, and criminal) and discuss how victims can be assisted through them. There also will be a discussion regarding what trauma-informed means and using trauma-informed practices to best serve clients. Registration: https://www.paralegals.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1899113&group=
11/6/24 at 1PM EST - Tax & Finance in PI Cases: What Paralegals Should Know by Jeremy Babener & Rachel McCrocklin. Personal injury firms have ethical responsibilities at settlement beyond maximizing the recovery. Settlement language and planning typically affects how much of a recovery the plaintiff keeps. Often, doing so changes what they keep by more than half. This presentation will walk through a firm's ethical obligations and how to spot client risks and opportunities. In particular, we'll discuss the critical effect of settlement language, the use of solutions (e.g. trusts, structured settlements, etc.) on what plaintiffs keep after fees, taxes, and liens. Registration: https://www.paralegals.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1899143&group=
11/21/24 at 1PM EST - Digital Forensics and the Practice of Law by Steven Bergin. This CLE is an introductory course specifically designed for the legal community. Join to further your knowledge of the practice of Digital Forensics. Registration: https://www.paralegals.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1899132&group=
PACO - OSBA Memberships Free to Paralegal Students!
Did you know that the OSBA offers a free membership to paralegal students through the date of their graduation? Some of the many benefits include:
- Complimentary CLE opportunities – including inclusion, diversity and equity training and quarterly legislative updates
- Career Center access – a nationwide legal job board which includes career planning tools and interview resources
- Access to online research tools, including Decisis™, the brand new next-generation legal research platform and our extensive practice library
- Unlimited committees and one complimentary section – to learn about specific practice areas and attend member meetings
- Online Member Communities – opportunity to network and engage with peers
- OSBA Report “Greenbook” – includes timely caselaw and statutory updates, legal news and more
Sign up through the Ohio Bar Law Student webpage.
PACO Store
Be sure to visit the new 'PACO Store' to purchase your PACO swag! Click here to go to the store!